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Mystery intersection
By adamg on Wed, 08/07/2013 - 10:25am
From the Boston City Archives comes this photo of a typical Boston street scene in, well, can you figure out the when and where? See it larger.
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Mystery Intersection
Tremont and Mass Ave! Looking inbound, Parrish Cafe would be on the left and that new southern food place Estelle's is on the right. The cars look like late 1930's / early 1940's?
Hmmm.. looks actually like Brighton Center
Looks like where Washington Street and Chestnut Hill Ave / Market Street intersect. Tracks were old trolley, pharmacy on corner I can't remember name, but had great soda fountain!
Don't think so
None of the buildings at the intersection of Mass Ave & Tremont look like the one on the corner in this photo. Also, you can see the (backwards) sign of the Bradford Hotel in the upper right, and Mass Ave & Tremont is too far away from that.
Still think it is Brighton
Still think it is Brighton Center...
Nope
No, the building in Brighton Center is definitely not the same as the one in this photo. For one thing, the corner "turret" on that building is round, and this one is octagonal. Also, top floor windows along the sides of the Brighton Center building are arched at the tops, on this one all the side windows are rectangular.
That was roughly my first guess
But the roads look too narrow.
I think early 40's is correct - some of the cars have running boards, but some don't - so guessing right about the transition of car styling which I think was early 40's.
One other hint - overhead railway that appears to be carrying freight - hmmm?
Hmm.... looks like Brighton
Hmm.... looks like Brighton Center where Washington Street and Chestnut Hill Ave / Market Street all meet. Pharmacy on corner was there forever. Building is still there...
Broadway @ Harrison? In the
Broadway @ Harrison? In the distance, looks like an inbound PCC streetcar from City Point crossing under the Washington St. El as it descends into the tunnel portal near Oak St..
Marginal and Harrison Ave, near Pine St.
In Chinatown. The view today. The Chinese Evangelical Church stands where the Amoco gas station is in the old photo. The building in the old photo behind the traffic signal to the right still stands today on the corner of Harrison Ave and Pine St (as do most of the buildings on that side of Pine St), but a mansard roof has since been added. The old Orange Line elevated structure, which stood until 1987, is visible in the old photo and the Park Plaza hotel is also visible way in the distance behind the elevated.
Claps
Nicely done.
Thanks!
*bows*
Correction
It would have been Broadway & Harrison back then.
More info: We're looking towards the Pleasant St portal if we follow the trolley tracks. And behind us, the tracks go to City Point after crossing the Boston & Albany and NYNH&H on a steel truss immediately to our backs.
it wouldn't be the
it wouldn't be the intersection of what is now Oak, Tremont, & Charles St?
Broadway and Harrison Avenue
That's my guess, based on the elevated railway, trolley tracks, and back of the Hotel Bradford sign.
Mystery intersection
Tremont St and Washington St in the South End
That looks like it is
That looks like it is probably Dorchester Avenue in the Fields Corner area. That's the Red Line on the viaduc.
Why a duck?
Why notta goose?
West End
Looks like behind North Station, on the west side. Nashua or some demolished part of the West End.
The Answer
Those of you who guessed Broadway and Harrison in the South End are correct! This was taken on October 5, 1948
Bike lanes? What is the sexy car?
Are those dashed white lines the pedestrian in the center is headed towards bike lanes?
What make/model/year car is that on the far right? Art Deco, swoopy, sexy!